


Deception

by Aknolan



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, more characters are present but don't have much of a role
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 08:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30102987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aknolan/pseuds/Aknolan
Summary: Penny asked Ruby to take the power of the winter maiden. No more than an hour later, Ruby stood in front of the vault as it opened.
Relationships: Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	Deception

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't a prediction or something I think of as particularly likely to happen, it just seemed like a neat idea. I promise it really does have a happy ending for everyone except Ironwood.

_Kill me, and I can make sure the powers go to you. Please._

* * *

_I’m the new winter maiden. I’m coming to the vault._

* * *

Ruby arrived alone. Good. She finally knew how to listen. Ironwood gestured to the two soldiers, and they aimed their weapons at Ruby to stop her from trying anything.

“I’m glad you came. I want you to open the vault, but first you must prove that you really are the maiden.”

Ruby gave no response, except to close her eyes. When she opened them again, her eyes burned with silver flames and lightning sparked in the sky above her.

Ironwood smiled and stepped aside, allowing Ruby to approach the vault. With another gesture, the two soldiers started following closely behind her.

Ruby seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking to the side, but then she placed her hand on the vault’s door. The door glowed golden and disappeared – revealing the relic of creation kept safely inside.

Before Ironwood could say anything, Ruby was a red blur rushing to the relic. She grabbed the relic and turned around to face Ironwood.

“Shoot me, and Atlas will fall.”

The soldiers glanced at each other and then back at Ironwood. He held up his hand, indicating for them to hold fire.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“It’s simple, you do as I say or Atlas will fall.”

He scoffed. “Do you really think we won’t get to the fall before Atlas hits the ground? There’s no need to waste your life, I thought you were smarter than that.”

Ruby shrugged. “A bomb then, that seems like a fair trade. Do you think you’ll be fast enough for that?”

Ironwood frowned. None of this made sense. “If Atlas falls Mantle will fall with it. Is that what you want?”

Ruby let out a dry, bitter laugh and started walking to the vault’s entrance. “Do you think I care? Oscar, Ren, Jaune, _Yang_. They were all on the whale. Because Oscar got kidnapped, and _you_ let the others go after him.” Ruby’s voice grew louder as she continued talking. “There were no doctors for Nora, she died after saving Penny from _your_ kidnapping attempt. And then.” Tears were streaming down her face now, her breathing started to turn ragged. “I don’t know _what_ you did to Penny, but she _begged_ me to kill her. And I did!” Ruby’s eyes were wide as she started screaming. “Do you think I still care about Atlas?!”

She stood there silently for a few seconds and her breathing seemed to slow. Then she spoke again with a quiet voice. “I loved her, you know? When I came to Atlas and saw she was alive-“ her words got choked up on a sob and her eyes drifted towards the ground. “It doesn’t matter now. I killed her. For good, this time. I watched her die at my hands, and she was _relieved_.” Her eyes snapped back to Ironwood, they were narrowed in anger even as the tears continued to flow. “Why should I try to save everyone, when I’ve already lost my friends, my family, my-“ she didn’t finish her sentence.

Ironwood frowned. This certainly explained some of it, but would she really go through with it?

Before he could make a decision, Ruby interrupted again. Her voice was calm now, but ice cold. “I don’t care about Atlas anymore, but I know you still do.”

The words cut through Ironwood, prompting a feeling of fear far beyond his ability to ignore. Could someone really destroy everything out of spite? He wasn’t sure. Uncertainty wasn’t good enough, he couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t ignore her.

“What do you want?”

“Call off the bomb, and tell your army to stop attacking the citizens of Mantle. Let all of them evacuate to Atlas.”

Ironwood tightened his jaw and tried to control his voice. It wouldn’t do to snap at her right now. “But what about Salem?”

Ruby’s eyes interrupted into silver flames. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate the help with destroying Atlas if you don’t do as I say.”

He took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. He would find a way to deal with this later, but for now he decided to turn on comms to give out new orders. Then he held his hands behind his back.

“I’ve done as you asked. Now what.”

“Now,” her shoulders slumped as if a weight had been lifted, “we figure out how to save everyone next.”

Ironwood felt something hit his back at the same time as the scene in front of him was revealed for what it was. The vault was still open and Ruby was still holding the staff of creation, but to her right, with a hand on her shoulder, was Penny. Alive and well. Ruby seemed to slump against her. To her left stood a girl with green hair. He had been deceived. Somehow, these _children_ had deceived him. He screamed as he moved to draw his guns.

Then Ironwood was falling and his soldiers’ guns were taken away with a gust of wind. He struggled against a sudden weight on his back, but found it was futile as his hands were tied behind his back.

The last thing Ironwood could see as he was escorted out of the room was Ruby and Penny holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it.


End file.
